Match-box.



E. E. FORD.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 050.21. 1915.

1,186,567. Patented June l3gl9l6.

ELIOT E. FORD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY A.MURRAY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 191 s.

' Application filed December 27, 19-15. Serial N 0. 68,667.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emo'r E. FORD, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a match box and is designed so that it holds apackage of matches of an ordinary type now in use, the packageconsisting of paper matches that are clamped at oneend into a paperfolder, the other end of the folder forming a fiap which passes over thehead of the matches and is tucked underneath a short tight flap at theother end, this short flap having an ignition surface on its outer face.

The invention is designed to provide a match box of this kind whichprovides an open space through which the flap can be opened and closedso that the removal of the individual matches by tearing them from thepackage is as convenient as heretofore, the box having a aw which isnormally arranged so that it covers the ignition surface of the package,being held in normal position by a spring or like means.

The invention is further designed to provide a box of this kind having ajaw provided with a fingerpiece so disposed that when the finger-pieceis pressed by the thumb, the box being held by the fingers of the hand,the jaw swings open to uncover the ignition surface of the package, thejaw and the box when so opened acting to protect the fingers so thatwhen a match is struck the ignition of the match or any flying fragmentsfrom the head of the match will not burn the fingers or thumb. The jawcan also be employed for pressing on a match head which is placed on theignition surface of the package so that the match can be drawnlongitudinally from the end of the box to ignite the match. The matchbox can be made in many different styles, can be suitably ornamented orcan be left plain if desired. One embodiment of the match box, however,is shown in the accompanying drawing'in which Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a match box constructed according to this invention, the matchbox having a package of {matches in it, andFig. 2 is a longitudinalsection through the center of the match box and the package of matches,this figure being on a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section ofone end of the match box and package, this view being similar to Fig. 2,and illustrating how the box isused when a match is lighted by alongitudinal withdrawal, and Fig. 1 is a section on line 4-4:, in Fig.2.

The match box has a main or body por tion 10 which is made either plainor ornamental as desired, and is usually made of non-combustiblematerial, sheet metal being the best adapted for this purpose, and Iusually make the body portion by bending up the sheet of metal so thatit is formed of one piece into the body portion, consisting of a bottom11, side walls 12 and 13, an end wall 1 1, and an end wall. 15, the endwall 15 being preferably made less in height than the other walls forpurposes to be hereinafter described. The box is usually big enough tofreely receive a package of matches, these packages being in themselvesold and consisting of sheets of heavy paper or cardboard 16 which areslitted to form the'match splints 17 which are provided in turn at theirouter ends with the heads 18. A cover 19 is on the package, being formedat its lower end into a short flap 20 which is bent over the lower endsof the paper sheets 16, being usually fastened to these sheets by means,such as a staple 21, which holds them all together and provides theshort flap with the end 22 that is loose so that the long flap or coverflap 23 can have its lower end 2-1 passed under the end 22 of the shortflap 20, the friction and resiliency of the parts being enough to holdthe end 24 in place. Such package of matches is placed in the match box10 with the end of the package that has the short flap adjacent to theend wall 15, the short flap 20 having its outer face 25 provided withsuitable ignition material so that when one of the matches, which aresafety matches usually, is struck on the surface 25 it will be lighted.The top of the body portion is open to permit the easy insertion andremoval of the flap 23 from its closed or covering position, theentrance of the fingers for this purpose being facilitated by theprovision of cut lights.

away or recessed portions 26 in the side walls 12 and 13 of the bodyportion. A jaw 27 is arranged sothat'it covers the ignition surface ofthe match package, this jaw having a number of diflerent functions, oneof which is to protect the ignition surface against undue wear andrubbing against articles in the pocket, the jaw being arranged so thatitswings on the pivot 28 and having side flanges 29 which fit inside theside walls 12 and 13. The jaw is pressed to itsnormal position, which isa closed position, by means of a suitable spring, as 80, the drawing inFig. 4 showing one of these springs on each side of the jaw. The spring30 thus normally forces the jaw to a position against or close to theignition surface 25.

A suitable finger-piece is provided for manually operating the jawagainst the in- .fiuence of the spring 30, such finger-piece beingpreferably madeby bending up the back edge of the jaw 27 to form aflange 31, this. flange being slightly inclined so that it will notproject too far above the general surface ofthe box but will provideenough surface for acomfortable pressure by the thumb. When the box isto be'used, the cover flap 23 is pulled out and a match 17 is detachedin the usual way by first bending it and then pulling it transverselyfrom its place, and the cover flap 23 is then closed. The box is held inone hand, the thumb being pressed on the finger-piece 31, the fingersbeing underneath the box, and this pressure opens the jaw 27 to thedotted position shown in Fig. 2. When it is in this position it uncoversthe ignition surface and the match 17, shown in broken lines in Fig. 2,can be struck on this ignition surface, and any excessive flare or anyflying particles from the match head will not burn the hand, since thehand is well protected and there is no liability of injury. At the same7 time the ignition surface being backed up by the metal box is notappreciably flexible and it provides aafirm surface on which the I matchcan be struck. In some brands of *lIlfliZCllBS, however, particularlythe thin kind, if they are struck transversely, and if the force of thestroke is not well regu: lated, the match is easily broken before itSuch matches, however, withstand a longitudinalstrain, and if it isdesired to light the match by, pulling 7 it longitudina 1ly,the jaw 27is swung to its open positionas shown in Fig. 2. The match is then.

laid as shown in Fig.3, that is to a position j well underneath the jawand the jaw .is then allowedto spring shut as shown in Fig. 3. Thesprings that actuate the jaw thus press the head of the match downfirmly against the ignition surface 25, and when the match is pulled outlongitudinally through the end 15 of the box-it is lighted.

This method of lighting matches with this box is absolutely safe andpositive and no broken matches result. The match can be withdrawnfromeither side, because to provide for this I make the end wall 15 lowenough so that the match can easily be pulled out without its headengaging the top edge of the end wall 15. r

This match box can be very cheaply made, consists of but few parts, issafe, and has plenty of space provided on it that is flat and is welladapted for the placing of advertising matter thereon.

closed position, and a package of matches in said box, the packagehaving an ignition surface underneath the jaw.

2. A match box having an open top, a swinging jaw to close a part of thetop, a spring for normally holding the jaw in closed position, a packageof matches in said box, the package having an ignition surfaceunderneath thejaw, and a finger-piece on the jaw for moving it againstthe pressure of the spring, the box and jaw being constructed so that attheend of the box a space is provided for the withdrawal of a match. 3.A match box comprising a bottom,

7 sides and ends, one of said ends being reduced in height, ajawswinging on the box adapted to normally have its free end adjacent tothe reduced .end, a package of matches in said box having an ignitionsur face underneath the jaw, a spring for norsurface, and a lip on therear of the jaw to form a finger-piece.

4:. A match box having an open top, a aw swinging, onthe box and adaptedto jaw being adjacent to one end of the box,

and an inclined lip on the back end of the jaw adapted to act as afinger-piece so that when the box and the jaw are squeezed to mallyforcing the jaw toward the ignition close part of the top, the outer endof the open the jaw the fingers'are shielded, the 1 package of matchesin the box having an ignition surface under the jaw. i a

5. A match box having an open top, a

jaw swinging on the box and adapted to close part of the top, the outerend of the aw being adjacent -'to one end of the box,

and an inclined lip on the back end of the jaw adapted to act as afinger-piece so that when the side Walls adjacent to said flap being outthe box and the jaw are squeezed to open away at their top edges so thatthe flap can the jaw the fingers are shielded, the package be grasped.10 of matches in the box having an ignition In testimony that I claimthe foregoing, I

' surface under the jaw, the package of have hereunto set my hand, this23rd day matches having a flexible flap which can be of December, 1915.Withdrawn through the open part of the top, ELIOT E. FORD.

copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addreuulngthe Commlaaiomer of Ratents, Washington, D. G."

